Your Global Health Resource
What is dementia really?
I’ve already shared technical definitions of senile dementia, vascular
dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease. But today I want to speak to you from a
different perspective. Beyond the cold concepts, I want to tell you what
dementia really is… what it means to live it, feel it, and accompany it.
For many years, I’ve had to explain to family members of patients with
dementia that what their loved one does or says isn’t them, it’s the disease.
They can’t be blamed, scolded, or punished. What they need is understanding,
patience… and love.
We know what causes it, but what we still struggle with is how to manage it,
how to live with it. And that’s understandable: you’re not doctors. But I am.
And it’s my duty to help you understand.
Let’s imagine for a moment the patient in the early stages: they begin to
become disoriented, get lost, forget words, misplace objects, and begin to
doubt themselves. In addition, their body also changes: they lose strength,
balance, sphincter control… and all of this hurts, because they are still
conscious. At this stage, the patient suffers deeply. Later, when they lose that
consciousness, the suffering spreads to the family.
Dementias are progressive diseases. Although they cannot be cured, an early
diagnosis can help slow their progression, treat associated symptoms, and plan
future care. Today, there are tools and studies that even allow us to anticipate
the onset of symptoms.
It’s time to break the stigma. If you have a family member with dementia, you
are not alone, today we have an early test to have an early diagnosis and new
proved medications.
And if you have conditions like type 2 diabetes, hypertension, or
hyperlipidemia, manage them, because they are risk factors for cognitive
decline.
And something else: we can all protect our brain health. How?
– Avoiding chronic stress
– Staying away from toxic people and environments
– Getting at least 7 hours of sleep a night
–Try to avoid abuse of alcohol
–Try to have a balance diet, try to follow a Mediterranean diet.
– Exercising daily
– Reading, learning, and training our minds
Email: RaulAyalaMD@MyDoctorOnCall.com
Website: WWW.MyDoctorOnCall.com
